Improvement in ore crushers and amalgamators



C.BRAIDS;

Dre Crusher and Amalgamator.

No. 167,638, Patented Sept.14,187 5.

Witnesses Invelltfll' @477 X I flw @mwz //@M7?6% UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

CHARLES BRAIDS, OF GOPPEROPOLIS, CALIFORNIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN ORE CRUSHERS AND AMALGAMATORS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 167,638, datedSeptember 14, 1875; application filed March 10, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES BRAIDS, of

Oopperopolis, Oalaveras county, State of California, have in vented anOre Crusher, Grinder, and Amalgamator and I do hereby declare thefollowing description and accompanying drawings are sufficient to enableany person skilled in the art or science to which it most nearlyappertains to make and use my said invention without further inventionor experiment.

My invention relates to certain improvements in crushing, grinding, andamalgamating ores; and it consists, principally, in the combination ofcrushing-Wheels with a series of drags within a circular track. Fromthis track the pulverized ore is carried into a flume or sluice-boxcontaining aseries of peculiarlyconstructed riffles, where it isamalgamated.

Referring to the accompanying drawing for a more complete explanation ofmy invention, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my device.

A is a circular grinding-track, with a suitable surface for the purpose,and made of large diameter. A vertical shaft, B, stands in the center ofthe elevation, within the circle of the track, and to the lower end ofthis are attached the arms 0 for the attachment of animals for drivingthe machine. To the ends of the arms D are attached the crushing-wheelsE, which rotate within the track as the'arms are driven around. To thearms 0 I attach the heavy weights or drags F, which are thus made tofollow the rollers around; and by this combination of rollers and dragsI am enabled to crush and pulverize the ore to the required degree offineness.

1 am aware that rollers and drags are each, of themselves, old, but itis evident from my construction that the combination of the drags withthe rollers reaches a new and useful result, as the drags, following inthe rear of each roller, stir up the crushed material and continuouslypresent a new surface for the following roller to act upon.

An opening is made at Gin the side of the outer rim of the pan whichincloses the track, and provided with a suitable screen, through whichthe pulp passes as fast as it becomes fine enough. This pulp, togetherwith sufficient water, is carried by a trough or pipe to thesluice-boxH, into which it falls and passes over thepeculiarly-constructed riffles which I use. These riffles consist ofinclined planes I, which I find to be very suitable when made about fourfeet long by about one foot Wide,

and having a rise of about one inch to the foot. From the top of eachincline the Water and pulp fall down the abrupt face J to the foot ofthe next plane, and. thus throughout any number of planes.

The mercury for amalgamation is placed in the space at the foot of eachplane, and is partially retained by means of the inclines; but thefalling of the water into these spaces, as above described, is apt tocarry some of the valuable metal up the inclines, and it will eventuallypass out from the sluice and be lost. In order to prevent this I employthe plates K, which are placed across the flu mes and stand at an angle,their upper edges being advanced beyond the lower edges, as shown. Theseplates are so placed that the water and pulp fall from the top of eachincline into a space between the face J and the. plate, and all eddies,currents, and splashing take place within this space. From this the pulpis forced down through the mercury, into which the edge of the platejust dips, and then flows gently up the incline, with no tendency tocarry off mercury or amalgam; and by this device I save so closely thatI am unable to find any traces of mercury or gold in the tailings belowmy sluice.

1 The sluice may be placed close against the side of the grinder, or, aswill be most convenient, it can be set at a short distance away andconnected by a pipe or trough, so as to leave room for the horse whichdrives the crusher to pass easily.

Having thus described my invention, I do not claim separately either theuse of wheels or rollers moving in a circular track, or the use of aweight or drag; but

What I do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In combination with a circular track, A,two revolving bars, 0 D,arranged at right angles and bearing a pair of drag-weights, F F, and apair of crushing-wheels, E E, as specified.

' CHARLES BRAIDS.

Witnesses:

J. E. BRASFIELD, Jomv Bums.

